Butter sculptures that will make you melt

A butter sculpture display at the Ohio State Fair in Columbus, Ohio, revealed on July 26, 2011. The usual cow and calf made of butter were accompanied by a butter space shuttle and astronaut to commemorate the end of the U.S. space shuttle program.

Former Democratic presidential hopeful, U.S. Sen. Bob Graham (D-Fla.), is seen here campaigning near a cow sculpture at the Iowa State Fair on Aug. 7, 2003 in Des Moines.

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A student of tourism school finishes a Balinese dancer sculpture made of butter during a Trade Expo in Jakarta on Oct. 29, 2009.

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A monk makes a butter sculpture of a Buddha statue according to a picture at the Ta'er Monastery on Feb. 12, 2006, in Huangzhong County of Qinghai Province, China.

The butter sculptures of Ta'er Monastery enjoy a high reputation in China and are displayed annually at the monastery's Lamp Festival on the 15th day of the first lunar month.

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Monks carry a butter sculpture for display at the Ta'er Monastery on Feb. 12, 2006, in Huangzhong County of Qinghai Province, China.

Butter sculpture, or 'Suyouhua,' is an ancient Tibetan Buddhist art. Made from yak butter of ghee, the sculptures are shaped as Buddhas, people, animals and flower figures. Before making the sculpture, monk artists must bath and pray during a special ritual ceremony. Since butter melts easily, the artists have to dip their hands into cold water to make their fingers cold enough before modeling the butter.

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Preparations of Butter Sculptures depicting tales from Tibetan Buddhism for the Butter Sculpture Festival at the Kumbum Monastery outside of Xining on Feb. 7, 2009, in northwest China's Qinghai province on the Tibetan plateau.

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A monk works on a butter sculpture Buddha statue according to a picture at the Ta'er Monastery on Feb. 12, 2006, in Huangzhong County of Qinghai Province, China.

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A monk puts colored butter on a basic framework to make butter sculpture, or 'Suyouhua' at the Ta'er Monastery on Feb. 12, 2006 in Huangzhong County of Qinghai Province, China.

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Monks make butter sculptures, or 'Suyouhua' at the Ta'er Monastery on Feb. 12, 2006, in Huangzhong County of Qinghai Province, China.

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Butter sculpture figures are shown at the Ta'er Monastery on Feb. 12, 2006, in Huangzhong County of Qinghai Province, China.

Preparations of butter sculptures depicting tales from Tibetan Buddhism for the Butter Sculpture Festival at the Kumbum Monastery outside of Xining on Feb. 7, 2009, in northwest China's Qinghai province on the Tibetan plateau.

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A man makes a donation in front of butter sculptures as preparations are under way for the Tibetan Butter Sculpture Festival at the Kumbum Monastery outside of Xining on Feb. 7, 2009, in northwest China's Qinghai province on the Tibetan plateau.

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Some 20 monks took 70 days to prepare the elaborate sculptures made of butter for display during the Butter Sculpture Festival at the Kumbum monastery, one of the six largest Geluk (Yellow Hat) monasteries, established in 1650 to mark the birthplace of Tsongkapa, founder of the Yellow Hat school of Tibetan Buddhism.

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A boy takes a closer look at butter sculptures as preparations are under way for the Tibetan Butter Sculpture Festival at the Kumbum Monastery outside of Xining on Feb. 7, 2009, in northwest China's Qinghai province on the Tibetan plateau.